WHY WE CARE

Plugged In exists to shine a light on the world of popular entertainment while giving you and your family the essential tools you need to understand, navigate and impact the culture in which we live. Through reviews, articles and discussions, we want to spark intellectual thought, spiritual growth and a desire to follow the command of Colossians 2:8: "See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ."

<div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div>

YOUR STORIES

Family uses Plugged In as a ‘significant compass’

"I am at a loss for words to adequately express how much it means to my husband and me to know that there is an organization like Focus that is rooting for us. Just today I was reading Psalm 37 and thinking about how your ministry provides ways to 'dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.' We have two teenagers and an 8-year-old in our household...Plugged In has become a significant compass for our family. All three of our kids are dedicated to their walk with Christ but they still encounter challenges. Thanks for all of your research and persistence in helping us navigate through stormy waters."

Plugged In helps college student stand-up for his belief

"Thanks for the great job you do in posting movie and television reviews online. I’m a college freshman and I recently had a confrontational disagreement with my English professor regarding an R-rated film. It is her favorite movie and she wanted to show it in class. I went to your Web site to research the film’s content. Although I had not seen the movie myself, I was able to make an educated argument against it based on the concerns you outlined. The prof said that she was impressed by my stand and decided to poll the whole class and give us a choice. We overwhelmingly voted to watch a G-rated movie instead! I’ve learned that I can trust your site and I will be using it a lot in the future.”

Plugged In brings ‘Sanity and Order’ to Non-believer

“Even though I don’t consider myself a Christian, I find your Plugged In Web site useful and thought-provoking. No one reviews movies like you do. Instead of being judgmental, you put entertainment ‘on trial.’ After presenting the evidence, you allow the jury of your readers to decide for themselves what they should do. In my opinion, you bring sanity and order to the wild world of modern day entertainment. Keep up the good work!”

Mom thinks Plugged In is the ‘BEST Christian media review site’

"Our family doesn't go to the movies until we go online and check out your assessment of a given film. I think this is the BEST Christian media review website that I've found, and I recommend it to my family and friends. Keep up the good work!"

SUPPORT THE WORK OF PLUGGED IN

Our hope is that whether you're a parent, youth leader or teen, the information and tools at Plugged In will help you and your family make appropriate media decisions. We are privileged to do the work we do, and are continually thankful for the generosity and support from you, our loyal readers, listeners and friends.

Sign up for a campaign update

Happenstance Found — "The Books of Umber" Series

We hope this review was both interesting and useful. Please share it with family and friends who would benefit from it as well.

Book Review

This fantasy book by P.W. Catanese is the first in "The Books of Umber" series and is published by Aladdin Paperbacks, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing.

Happenstance Found is written for kids ages 8 to 12. The age range reflects readability and not necessarily content appropriateness.

Positive Elements

Spiritual Content

Sexual Content

Violent Content

Crude or Profane Language

Drug and Alcohol Content

Other Negative Elements

Conclusion

Pro-social Content

Objectionable Content

Summary Advisory

Plot Summary

Happenstance (Hap) is 12 when he wakes up in a cave having no memory of his past. The extraordinary Lord Umber, a man who advises royalty, writes books and presents amazing new ideas in his land full of sorcery and strange creatures, finds Hap with the help of a secret adviser, and he takes the boy into his home. Hap meets Umber's one-handed artist (Sophie), a bodyguard who is compelled by a curse to speak honestly at all times (Oates), an unfriendly housekeeper who secretly loves Umber (Lady Truden), an eccentric, unwashed historian who researches for Umber (Smudge), a kindly cook (Balfour) and a reclusive warrior just a few inches tall (Thimble). They all live under Umber's roof. Hap finds that he is sometimes able to see a mysterious thread that leads him places. The reader does not know much about what this thread is. While Umber tries to piece together Hap's origins, Umber's crew battles and avoids the ghoulish, multi-eyed Occo (also called The Creep) who wants to capture Hap and extract his unique green eyes. Occo has many eye sockets and thinks he will be able to see magical threads, too, if he has Hap's eyes. As book one ends, Occo is killed with the help of Umber's crew. Readers learn that Umber is really from another world (that appears to be Earth), which has been destroyed by the misuse of technology. Umber is on a mission to restore his world to its past glory, and he enlists Hap's help.

Christian Beliefs

A couple of times, Hap "prays" something will or won't happen, but in these cases, this word seems to be used interchangeably with wish or hope. There is no mention that he is praying to anyone.

Other Belief Systems

Lord Umber's world includes sorcerers, wizards, magic and all kinds of creatures and monsters. All of these fascinate him because the world from which he originally hails has no such things. Oates has a curse on him that makes him speak his mind with complete honesty at all times. As Hap listens to music, he says it is a kind of magic, capable of weaving a powerful spell. Umber uses hypnosis to try to jog Hap's memory of his past. Umber credits luck when he finds a much needed escape route.

Authority Roles

Lord Umber, who shares music and technological advances from his other world, helps the kingdom thrive without trying to usurp any power from the royals. He's a gracious and intensely curious man who periodically suffers bouts of depression. Crown Prince Argent and his brothers appear only once at Argent's birthday party. Argent expresses concern that Umber's printing presses will allow the spread of foolish and insubordinate ideas, while another prince shows himself to be a drunken buffoon. The sorceress Turiana, who once enjoyed the favor and respect of the nation for all her aid and kindness, allowed her interest in dark magic to turn her evil. She is now ghostly and malicious, and Umber has imprisoned her in his castle for the safety of the kingdom.

Profanity/Violence

One of Umber's servants recites a limerick that is clearly meant to end in the word a--, but a dash appears in the text instead. A shark bites Boroon, a giant boat-bearing sea creature, causing blood to flow into the water. Boroon's driver, Nima, avenges the monster by slashing the shark with a sword and causing more blood. Frightening images of trolls and hobgoblins are called up a few times. Descriptions of the corpse-like Turiana are a bit scary, but the most terrifying images are those of Hap's pursuer, Occo. He's a ghastly creature with backward legs, and he steals other creatures' eyes to pop into his own numerous oozing eye sockets. Occo's long nails pierce through the skin of one of Umber's men, causing him to bleed profusely. When Occo is wounded by Thimble, he experiences intense agony and spews out searing threats while trying to catch the tiny man.

Kissing/Sex/Homosexuality

None

Discussion Topics

If your children have read this book or someone has read it to them, consider these discussion topics:

Why did Hap read Umber's private letter and wander through the house when the others were asleep?

Were these intentional acts of spying?

How was Hap trying to understand who he was?

Why did he feel guilty for spying?

How would you feel if you did the same things he did?

What would change if you didn't have any memory of your past?

Why was Hap obsessed with finding out where he came from?

If you were Hap and someone like Turiana offered you answers to all your questions, would you have betrayed Umber to get them?

How would you feel if, similar to Oates, you were compelled to be completely honest at all times?

How would your life remain the same?

How would it change?

What is the difference between being honest and being cruel with your words?

How should Christians balance honesty with tactfulness?

What happens when Hap lies to Oates, telling Oates he truly believes the man will one day be free of his curse?

What conflicting feelings does Hap have about his lie?

Have you ever told a lie and felt inner conflict like that?

What happened?

What did you do?

Why did the good and beautiful Turiana become evil?

What caused her to embrace dark magic?

What other character(s) succumbed to the lure of power and magic?

How can "toying" with sin and gaining knowledge of the wrong things impact your life?

What does the Bible say we need to focus our thoughts on?

Do you ever find yourself filling your mind with things that aren't praiseworthy?

Why does Prince Argent disapprove of Umber's printing press?

How do you feel about his concern that if printing is made widely available, people will be able to spread their foolish and rebellious thoughts to everyone?

How does this way of thinking mimic the ideas of some early church leaders, who wanted the Bible kept out of reach of the common man?

Do you agree or disagree with Umber when he says that once an idea is put forth, it can't be called back, silenced or taken away?

Why do you agree or disagree?

What causes Lord Umber's quirky moods?

Have you known anyone with similar symptoms &mdash such as mood swings, deep sadness, loss of interest in life?

How did that person deal with his anxiety and depression?

How did Umber handle the symptoms in a previous world?

What did Lord Umber's world of origin have that his current world does not?

What happened to the world he came from?

How does Hap feel when he learns about Project Reboot and the other technology in Umber's world?

Do you think technology could ever be a destructive force in the world you live in? Explain your answer.

What does Turiana promise Umber if he will set her free?

How does he respond to her tempting offers, and why does he answer this way?

Does this situation remind you of any stories in the Bible?

Additional Comments/Notes

Alcohol: Wine is served on Nima's ship. Prince Galbus drinks at his brother's birthday party and appears from his behavior (and his wine-scented breath) to be inebriated. A few other times, wine is mentioned alongside other food at a meal.

Book reviews cover the content, themes and world-views of fiction books, not their literary merit, and equip parents to decide whether a book is appropriate for their children. A book's inclusion does not constitute an endorsement by Focus on the Family.

Advertisement

Get weekly e-news, Culture Clips & more!

Plugged In Blog

Good media discernment is about guarding our eyes and hearts before we watch or listen. And it's also about grappling with the entertainment we do see or hear. That's why the Plugged In Blog is devoted to guarding, discussing and grappling.

Family Safety

Protecting our families today is more vital than ever. And by partnering with ClearPlay and Net Nanny, Focus on the Family hopes to point you to resources and tools that can help you navigate the entertainment world around you.